Placing myself into an extreme job!! !!
JayCat
Tufted Titmouse
Joined: 1 Aug 2011
Gender: Male
Posts: 27
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Does anyone know if there is a simple formulaic script that can be followed when meeting and greeting customers?
Whether or not this is feasible will depend a lot on the specific job & company you work for.
As receptionist, you will generally be told how to answer the phone, but after that you would need to be able to be very flexible - and you would generally be expected to remember who everyone is, recognize voices etc (the best receptionists tend to be very social IMO)
Call centers will generally be very scripted - some that are more sales based you will have to make more up, buy generally they will have worked out exactly what they want you to say & you just need to follow that. The biggest issue is when the people you are talking to (who don't have a script) say something you are not prepared for, or want to chat. Some call centers can also have a very social office atmosphere, which can also cause problems if you are not social.
JayCat
Tufted Titmouse
Joined: 1 Aug 2011
Gender: Male
Posts: 27
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Erm... How about a retail position then?
I think if I can learn the products well then I should be able to interact and sell the item...
Hopefully... x_X
It would be scripted, such as, "Welcome, please take a look around".
Then if they ask, I can help them to choose randomly a product suited to them from the knowledge of the products.
I'm not sure if not making eye contact will result in failure or if I will be too awkward.
Anyway, it does not appear to be like those other social situations I have been in where I have no goal and end up standing there with a blank mind. In sales, there is a goal to sell and you know the products...
So my guess is that all people with Aspergers could actually undertake a sales position, but I'm still not sure whether I can do it...
.....
Anyway, I guess a office position seems silly at the moment because you have to participate in the chat topics, whatever they are, football, gambling, something something, who knows...
Retail seems more realistic and it seems unlikely that the sales assistants you are working with will try to upset you, because it is actually better for them; in that they have the potential for more sales commissions, and less competition. In that if I am replaced with a super extrovert, they have lowered sales.
GAME THEORY!
I think you might be better to focus on the specific employer, rather than (or in addition to) the general area of work.
Some retail areas are very focused on social interaction rather than technical knowledge, particularly shops selling things like clothes. If you were to work in an area such as tools or automotive parts you are more likely to be dealing with tradesmen and enthusiasts who will be more interested in the technical areas. You would need to assess your own knowledge and ability with social skills - if people interpret your behavior as rude you are likely to have problems in any job dealing with people, but if it is just interpreted as "quirky" a job which focuses on technical/product knowledge may work out well.
Offices are also incredibly varied - reception is very social, and large offices with lots of secretaries/admin can be very social. Other positions such as data entry may allow you to tuck yourself into a corner and just work by yourself. Small offices will often have a lot less social interaction, but you will generally need a wide range of skills & need to be able to work out how to do the job without much instruction.
Both office work and retail sales are very large and varied areas, and no-one (whether they have Aspergers or not) would be able to do all jobs within the category.
One thing to consider is that if you CAN manage to do sales, it does generally pay a lot better than office work. Many sales jobs include commissions which can be very high if you are good at what you do - my ex-husband worked in an electrical goods store, and I was really surprised at how much money he made in comparison to my legal secretary wage. He also found that the fact he had knowledge about what he was selling made a big difference - people would come back specifically to buy from him because he knew what he was talking about.
